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Israel’s 70th Anniversary

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Apr 19, 2018

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — The Independence Day ceremony began yesterday and will continue through Saturday evening for 70 hours of Israeli festivities across the country to celebrate the 70th anniversary of when David Ben Gurion announced the establishment of the Jewish state and Israel took its place among the nations on May 14, 1948. The theme for the nation’s 70th anniversary celebration is “A Legacy of Innovation.”

President Reuven Rivlin hosted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot and others for a musical ceremony honoring over 100 soldiers receiving commendations for excellence. There was a cross-country flyover of military jets and helicopters, which included Israel’s fleet of F-35 jets, considered the most advanced plane in the world. At the military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, there was a state ceremony featuring the lighting of torches by 12 people who are seen to have made an outstanding contribution to society — as well as one by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and another by Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein.

The opening ceremony of Israel’s national celebration wove a theme of technological progress and survival through seven decades of its modern history. They told the story of the Jewish people from Moses to the early pioneers, through the Holocaust to the growth of technology. They said the rebirth of their nation was where prophecy became their reality and the answer to their prayers.

President Donald Trump previously announced that the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem will open on May 14, 2018 to coincide with the 70th anniversary. He has held to his promise despite facing a backlash from the Palestinian Authority and its supporters.

“We all appreciate the strong alliance with the United States,” Netanyahu said. “We all welcome President Donald Trump’s historic decision to recognize Jerusalem as our capital and to transfer the embassy of the strongest power in the world to it. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, America.”

“We celebrate with the Jewish people during this historic time as Israel celebrates its 70th anniversary,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and President of Covenant Journey. “The number 70 has great biblical significance and it is fitting that the U.S. Embassy will open in Jerusalem during this anniversary. The biblical and historical connection of the land of Israel to the Jewish people is undisputed, and they are the rightful possessor of the land. It is miraculous that this small, but incredible, country has not just survived but thrived as a land which contributes great agricultural and technological advances to the world. Israel not only has survived against all odds but it thrives, and this small country has impacted the entire world. Israel is nothing short of a modern miracle,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel produced a 13-part original TV series aired on TBN called Why Israel Matters and can be viewed or here. This exclusive series is designed to demonstrate in a powerful way the crucial importance of the Jewish state of Israel to Christians, to America and to the world.

Liberty Counsel is an international litigation, education, and policy organization. Liberty Counsel has a number of affiliated ministries, including Christians in Defense of Israel and Covenant Journey, a program that provides a life-changing experience in Israel for Christian college-age students who have leadership potential.


“West Bank” No Longer “Occupied”

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Apr 23, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The State Department’s annual report on human rights violations around the world was published on Friday and has dropped reference to the “West Bank” in Israel as “occupied” for the first time since 1979.

Whereas previous publications of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices had a section on “Israel and the Occupied Territories,” this year’s document refers instead to “Israel, Golan Heights, West Bank and Gaza.” Last December, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman asked the State Department to stop calling the West Bank “occupied.”

In addition, the report contains a new note about the status of Jerusalem, in light of President Trump’s decision on December 6, 2017, to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. It states that “issues primarily related to Israeli residents of Jerusalem are covered in the ‘Israel and the Golan Heights’ section. It is the position of the United States that the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem are subject to final status negotiations between the parties.”

Despite these changes, many of the contents of the report have remained somewhat similar to what has been published in previous years. The current 2017 report states that “the most significant human rights issues included Palestinian terror attacks against Israeli civilians and security forces in the West Bank and Jerusalem, which killed 13 Israelis. Israeli forces killed 68 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, four of whom nongovernmental organizations and media reported did not pose a lethal threat to Israeli Security Forces or civilians at the time they were killed.”

“It is about time that the State Department stopped referring to land in Israel as ‘occupied territories,’” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and President of Covenant Journey. “I applaud the Trump administration for this welcome change. The media often uses terms like ‘occupied territories’ and ‘refugee camps’ to delegitimize Israel. Most people hearing the words ‘refugee camp’ visualize a makeshift tent city, when in reality these places are established neighborhoods with businesses and schools. I am pleased the State Department has eliminated the derogatory and false term ‘occupied territories’ language,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel produced a 13-part original TV series aired on TBN called Why Israel Matters and can be viewed here. This exclusive series is designed to demonstrate in a powerful way the crucial importance of the Jewish state of Israel to Christians, to America and to the world. Liberty Counsel and Christians in Defense of Israel also produced a full-color book called “Why Israel Matters: Past, Present, and Forever.”

Liberty Counsel is an international litigation, education, and policy organization. Liberty Counsel has a number of affiliated ministries, including Christians in Defense of Israel and Covenant Journey, a program that provides a life-changing experience in Israel for Christian college-age students who have leadership potential.

US Withdraws from Iran Deal

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May 8, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump is terminating the United States’ participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran as it failed to protect America’s national security interests. He has now directed his administration to immediately begin the process of re-imposing U.S. nuclear-related sanctions which will target critical sectors of Iran’s economy, such as its energy and financial sectors.

Those doing business in Iran will be provided 90-day and 180-day periods of time to allow them to wind down operations in or business involving Iran.  Those who fail to end such activities with Iran by the end of the period will risk severe consequences.

President Trump is committed to ensuring Iran has no possible path to a nuclear weapon and is addressing the threats posed by the regime’s malign activities. He will work to assemble a broad coalition of nations to deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon and to counter the totality of the regime’s malign activities.

“The Iran Deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into. It didn’t bring calm, it didn’t bring peace, and it never will,” said President Trump.

Iran negotiated the JCPOA in bad faith and the deal gave the Iranian regime too much in exchange for too little. Intelligence recently released by Israel provides compelling details about Iran’s past secret efforts to develop nuclear weapons, which it lied about for years. The JCPOA failed to deal with the threat of Iran’s missile program and did not include a strong enough mechanism for inspections and verification.

“We strongly support President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from this unacceptable Iran deal,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and Chairman of Covenant Journey. “The only country that benefited from the Iran deal was Iran. The Obama administration lied to the American people and the world, airlifted hundreds of millions of dollars in cash to Iran during the night, and watched Iran’s continued march toward its goal of becoming a nuclear threat. The nuclear deal gave Iran, the world’s foremost state-sponsor of terrorism, a clear path to an atomic arsenal. This deal should never have been concluded. President Trump’s decision reverses Obama’s failed foreign policy and protects Americans and our closest allies in the Middle-East from this malicious regime,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.

US Embassy Opens Today in Jerusalem

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May 14, 2018

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — The new U.S. Embassy opened today in Jerusalem to coincide with the 70th anniversary of when David Ben Gurion announced the establishment of the Jewish state and Israel took its place among the nations on May 14, 1948. The official plaque now hangs on a consular office building at an existing U.S. facility that handles passports and visas in Jerusalem’s Arnona neighborhood. View the ceremony here.

President Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Ambassador David Friedman and Trump’s Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt attended the opening ceremony along with about 700 guests, including members of Congress and representatives of organizations with close ties to Israel, alongside senior Israeli officials.

Municipal workers erected signposts reading “U.S. Embassy” in Hebrew, Arabic, and English around the yellow stone building at 14 David Flusser St. “This is not a dream — it’s reality,” Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat tweeted last week in a post that included photos of him on a ladder holding one of the newly installed signs. “Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people — and the world is beginning to recognize this fact. Thank you, POTUS,” said Barkat.

The U.S. retrofit a small suite of offices in that facility to accommodate Friedman and one or two top aides such as his chief of staff. The rest of the embassy staff will remain in Tel Aviv until a new embassy building is finished in Jerusalem in seven to 10 years.

“Today is a historic moment when on the 70th anniversary of the re-establishment of Israel, the U.S. Embassy opens in Jerusalem,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and President of Covenant Journey. “The timing could not be more appropriate to open the embassy at the 70th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel. We celebrate with the Jewish people for this long-awaited event,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel produced a 13-part original TV series aired on TBN called Why Israel Matters. This series can be viewed on the TBN website or here.

Liberty Counsel is an international litigation, education, and policy organization. Liberty Counsel has a number of affiliated ministries, including Christians in Defense of Israel and Covenant Journey, a program that provides a life-changing experience in Israel for Christian college-age students who have leadership potential. Find out more at www.LC.org and www.CovenantJourney.org.

US Leaves Biased UN Council (Liberty Counsel)

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Jun 20, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C.  –  U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley announced yesterday that the United States has withdrawn from the U.N. Human Rights Council due to its “chronic bias” against Israel.

The Human Rights Council, “an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe,” is based in Geneva and made up of 47 member states. The Human Rights Council replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The U.N. Council was formed in 2006. President George W. Bush refused U.S. participation, but under the Obama administration, the United States joined the council. President Trump has now withdrawn because the council is so biased against Israel.

Haley’s announcement comes after the council voted last month to investigate the deaths of Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip and accused Israel of excessive use of force. Haley said, “We take this step because our commitment does not allow us to remain a part of a hypocritical and self-serving organization that makes a mockery of human rights.”

Haley said the withdrawal “is not a retreat from human rights commitments” and accused the council of being “a protector of human rights abusers and a cesspool of political bias.” She also noted the 47-nation group needs “major, dramatic, systemic changes, yet no other country has had the courage to join our fight” and leave the body. Haley called out the group for admitting Congo as a member when mass graves were discovered there. She also cited Venezuela, Iran, Cuba, Egypt, China, and Russia among the countries that attempted to undermine reforms within the council. “Look at the council membership, and you see an appalling disrespect for the most basic rights,” said Haley.

“I commend President Donald Trump and Ambassador Nikki Haley for withdrawing from the U.N. Human Rights Council,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and Chairman of Covenant Journey. “This council is a farce. The United Nations Human Rights Council is worthless and has nothing to do with human rights. It has become an attack dog against Israel. I am happy that America has a strong president and ambassador who will not be bullied,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international litigation, education, and policy organization. Liberty Counsel has a number of affiliated ministries, including Christians in Defense of Israel and Covenant Journey, a program that provides a life-changing experience in Israel for Christian college-age students who have leadership potential.

Good news for Israel (Christians in Defense of Israel)

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From the desk of Mat Staver
Christians in Defense of Israel

Israel received good news Tuesday when U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley announced the United States is leaving the U.N. Human Rights Council due to its "chronic bias" against Israel, among other factors. Haley called the UNHRC, "an organization that is not worthy of its name." 

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the move.

"Israel thanks President Trump, Secretary Pompeo and Ambassador Haley for their courageous decision against the hypocrisy and the lies of the so-called UN Human Rights Council. For years, the UNHRC has proven to be a biased, hostile, anti-Israel organization that has betrayed its mission of protecting human rights. Instead of dealing with regimes that systematically violate human rights, the UNHRC obsessively focuses on Israel, the one genuine democracy in the Middle East."

Haley said the withdrawal "is not a retreat from human rights commitments" and accused the council of being "a protector of human rights abusers and a cesspool of political bias… Look at the council membership, and you see an appalling disrespect for the most basic rights."

Not only does this so-called "human rights" body give seats to human rights violators like Cuba and Venezuela, but it is obsessed with Israel. It has a standing agenda item to address Israel every time it meets. From 2006 to 2016, the UNHRC issued 135 resolutions critical of specific nations. Sixty-eight–just over half–targeted Israel. That's anti-Semitism.

I commend President Donald Trump and Ambassador Nikki Haley for withdrawing from the U.N. Human Rights Council. This council is a farce. The United Nations Human Rights Council is worthless and has nothing to do with human rights. It has become an attack dog against Israel. I am happy that America has a strong president and ambassador who will not be bullied.

+ + With your help, Christians in Defense of Israel has repeatedly called out the UNHRC for its blatant anti-Israel bias.

In 2016, the UNHRC passed a resolution calling for the creation of a database — read "blacklist" — of companies that operate in the so-called "occupied territories," East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights. The UN warns that firms conducting business with Israelis in those areas are in alleged violation of "international law and UN decisions." To avoid the potential conflict, some U.S. companies pulled their businesses out of the region.   

The UNHRC's goal is to wage economic war on Israel, suppress business investment, and cripple the Jewish state's economy while advancing the Palestinian agenda.

In response, Christians in Defense of Israel launched our campaign to encourage members of Congress to pass the Israel Anti-Boycott Act.

I want to thank you for standing with me and thousands of other Christians in defense of the Jewish state. Your voice matters and the U.S. decision to leave this sham UN "human rights" body is a victory for Israel and the truth.

Together, you and I must continually stand against attacks on Israel–especially those launched from the UN system, of which UNHRC is just one arm. There has never been a more important time for Christians to stand in solidarity with Israel and advocate for its right to exist as a sovereign nation.

One way you can do that now is by answering our important Middle East peace survey.

Trump administration officials are meeting in Arab capitals this week to brief leaders about the peace process. Because the plan is not quite complete, now is the time for YOU to make your voice heard.

Please take a couple minutes to answer this quick and easy survey now. We'll collect the results and send them to President Trump and his Mideast peace team.

Thank you for joining with us!

God bless you. God bless the USA. God bless Israel. 

Mat Staver, President
Christians in Defense of Israel

P.S.Your continued partnership with Christians in Defense of Israel is an important way for you to stand in defense of the Jewish state!

Proposed Israel Peace Plan DOA

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Jul 5, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, President Trump’s advisor to Israel, recently went to the Middle East to discuss a proposed peace plan involving Israel and the Palestinian Authority. While the alleged plan has not been released to the public, some media have been reporting on a plan supposedly leaked to media sources. According to this information, the proposal calls for a two-state solution. However, for many reasons a two-state solution will not work.

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, a well-respected Israeli think tank, reportedly revealed details of the plan. Citing unnamed senior Palestinian Authority sources who learned about the plan from Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the JCPA reported these details about the proposal:

“The Gaza Strip will be declared an independent state together with parts of the West Bank, excluding east Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. The Palestinian capital will be located in the Jerusalem suburb of Abu Dis, along with several Arab neighborhoods in northern Jerusalem.”

If this leak is correct, Trump’s peace plan calls for Israel to surrender land that legally belongs to Israel. The so-called two-state solution would establish a capital for the Palestinian Authority in a section of Northern Jerusalem and hand over to the PA Gaza and “parts of the West Bank” (which is biblical Judea and Samaria). This is the same land where the prophet Amos lived and where he wrote the prophecy that the exiled Jews would return to live. This formula is called “land for peace” or the “two-state solution” and history has shown it to be a failure when dealing with the terrorism of the Palestinian Authority.

“Giving away land for peace will never work when one party does not recognize the right of the other to exist,” said Mat Staver, Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and President of Covenant Journey. “The Palestinian Authority does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, so no land giveaway will bring peace. If this so-called peace plan includes a two-state solution, it is a non-starter,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international litigation, education, and policy organization. Liberty Counsel has a number of affiliated ministries, including Christians in Defense of Israel and Covenant Journey, a program that provides a life-changing experience in Israel for Christian college-age students who have leadership potential.

The saddest day in Jewish history starts tonight (Christians in Defense of Israel)

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Mat Staver,
Christians in Defense of Israel

It’s the most sorrowful day on the Jewish calendar and its starts tonight in Jerusalem. I’m here in the Holy City and I’d like to share with you why this day is so unique. —Mat.

A day of mourning begins at sunset tonight in Jerusalem—where I am now, leading our twentieth Covenant Journey tour to Israel.

Covenant Journey, which Anita and I founded in 2014, gives college-age Christian students an immersive 10-day life-changing experience in Israel. Students return home transformed. They come back on fire for God and for Israel—alive in their faith and ready to be goodwill ambassadors for Israel.

It’s an incredible experience to share Israel with these future leaders—some 40 on this trip. Their faces light up as they see the Holy Land—and the Bible turns from black-and-white to living color. You help make this possible, my friend and partner, by your generous gifts and prayersThank you!

But let me tell you what is happening here in Israel. Tonight at sundown, Jews in Israel and around the world begin “Tisha B’av”—a day of mourning on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates the destruction of the first and second Jewish temples in 586 B.C. and 70 A.D. by the Babylonians and the Romans.

+ + A day of disaster in Jewish history

Both disasters, which were followed by Jewish exile from the land, took place on the same day, Tisha B’av. And so have other calamities in Jewish history. Spain expelled as many as 300,000 Jews on this day in 1492. Likewise, England expelled its Jewish population in 1290 on Tisha B’av, which is Hebrew for the ninth day of the month of Av.

Tonight, Jews will read from the book of Lamentations, remembering the despair and dread that filled Jewish hearts when Nebuchadnezzar sacked Jerusalem and burned the Temple in 586 B.C.

“Panic and pitfall have come upon us, devastation and destruction. . . . My eyes will flow without ceasing, without respite, until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees.” (3:47, 49-50)

The Jewish people have suffered as no other. But God, in mercy, has looked down from heaven. He has shown compassion on His people, just as He promised, saying, “I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them” (Jeremiah 33:26).

+ + Israel’s amazing rebirth

Against all odds—and in the face of horrific oppression for 2,000 years—Jews have survived as a people and as a nation. It’s nothing short of a miracle.

And now God has turned mourning into joy. The Jewish people have not just survived but returned to their ancient homeland and built a modern, thriving nation.

This tiny Jewish state of nearly nine million people is now listed, incredibly, as the world’s eighth most powerful nation, according to a recent U.S. News and World Report ranking.

How did this happen? And what’s ahead for God’s chosen people?

You’ll find answers and be fascinated by the story of modern Israel when you request my book, Why Israel Matters. It’s a compelling, insight-filled look at Israel’s past, present, and future. It details the story of Jewish return to the land in the 19th century, the founding of modern Israel, and what the Scriptures tell us about Israel’s future.

+ + Discover the story of modern Israel

I’d like to send you this fully illustrated, hard cover coffee-table book. It comes loaded with stunning photos from Israel—both rare historical images and spectacular scenic shots. And all in thanks for your gift of $50 or more to help defend Israel. 

The Jewish state’s enemies are many. Its friends few. That’s why your gift now matters so much. When you give, you enable Christians in Defense of Israel to . . .

  • Recruit more voices to speak out on Israel’s behalf.
  • Work for solid pro-Israel policies and legislation in Washington.
  • Raise up new champions for Israel through Covenant Journey—an exciting, innovative project taking young leaders to Israel for transformational 10-day visits.

Will you make your best gift today to bless and defend Israel?

Be sure to ask for Why Israel Matters as you give.It will give you a fresh understanding of Israel’s extreme suffering, which the Jewish people remember tonight on Tisha B’av. And you’ll also catch a glimpse of Israel’s glorious future. You’ll come away more in awe of modern Israel and more in love with God’s chosen people.

Please let me hear from you right away!

Shalom from Jerusalem,

Mat

P.S. As an added bonus, I am also offering ALL 13 episodes of our extraordinary television series, Why Israel Matters, on DVD for a gift of $100. Filmed in Israel, this unique TV project gives you an up-close-and-personal look at Israel today. It also introduces you to some of the people who helped build the Jewish state and defended it in war. All told, this is more than six hours of fascinating stories from Israel on DVD. And this TV series on DVD is yours in thanks for your gift of $100 or more. Please respond right away!


Abortion Waiting Period in FL (Liberty Counsel)

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Jul 30, 2018

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Liberty Counsel has filed an amicus brief in Gainesville Woman Care v. State of Florida, arguing in favor of a 24-hour waiting period on behalf of the American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG) and the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds).

The State of Florida has acted in the best interest of women and girls by adding a waiting period to its Informed Consent Abortion Law. However, in 2017, the Florida Supreme Court reinstated the injunction against a 24-hour waiting period to the abortion law, and the case returned to the trial court for final resolution. The trial court granted judgment to the plaintiffs, saying that the 24-hour waiting period for abortions is unconstitutional.

The State of Florida has now appealed that decision and Liberty Counsel, on behalf of the AAPLOG and the ACPeds, has provided the court with medical research showing that the 24-hour waiting period established in the Florida law is in keeping with standard practice for other medical procedures. The significant physical, psychological and emotional consequences of abortion further demonstrate that a 24-hour waiting period is critical.

AAPLOG and ACPeds have extensive experience with adolescents and young women who have been affected by abortion and have studied the long-term effects of the procedure. Both the AAPLOG and ACPeds substantiate that Florida’s 24-hour waiting period is critically necessary to protect the health and well-being of young women. Including such a period of reflection before choosing a decision with serious long-term consequences is critically important.

Rep. Jennifer Sullivan, who became the youngest female member ever elected to the Florida House of Representatives, was one of the sponsors of HB 633 in 2015, known as the Informed Patient Consent bill. Sullivan also participated in one of Liberty Counsel’s Covenant Journey tours of Israel.

“The 24-hour waiting period is critical because abortion is a life and death decision,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “Abortion advocates oppose a waiting period because they fear the mother will choose life. How sad that a mother can kill her pre-born child without waiting even 24 hours, and yet, when someone other than the mother kills the same child, it is a criminal offense,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.

Stop Funding Terror Education (Liberty Counsel)

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Aug 22, 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congress has introduced a bipartisan bill to annually review whether educational resources used in Palestinian schools continue to encourage “violence or intolerance toward other nations or ethnic groups.”

The Palestinian Authority Educational Curriculum Transparency Act was recently introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. David Young and requires the U.S. State Department to submit annual reports reviewing the educational material used in schools in the West Bank and Gaza run by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and UNRWA, the United Nation’s Palestinian-refugee agency. The Jerusalem-based IMPACT-se (Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education), a research institute that analyzes educational materials, participated in crafting the bill.

Despite being reformed in 2016 and 2017, Palestinian curriculums for grades 1 through 11 “fail to meet the international standards of peace and tolerance in educational materials established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.” The bill will mandate the secretary of state to monitor the PA curriculum through internationally recognized standards of peace and tolerance which includes promoting respect, peacemaking, gender equality, sound prosperity and cooperation, unbiased information, and free from wording and illustrations that condone hatred for others. Instead, when IMPACT-se reviewed Palestinian textbooks last year, it found key findings in the textbooks such as:

–          Radicalization is pervasive across this new curriculum, to a greater extent than before. The new textbooks groom young Palestinians to sacrifice themselves through martyrdom. They promote hate, are committed to jihad war, and feature a radical Islamist, and occasionally, a Salafi worldview.

–          The curriculum rejects negotiations with Israel as the preferred method of achieving statehood. Instead, schoolchildren are taught that a Palestinian state will be achieved through martyrdom, violence and religious war.

–          Martyrdom for boys and girls is taught as a life goal. Their reward will be in heaven where martyrs are married to 72 wives. It is implied that children should not tell their parents they intend to become martyrs. Girls gain equality with boys through martyrdom. Dying is better than living. Those who risk their lives are praised, and those who choose a non-violent life are cowards and denigrated.

–          Jihad is most important aspect of life. Science lessons are used to teach violence, and war is a permanent phenomenon. The struggle is nationalistic, to conquer Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, but also Islamist with increasingly obvious Salafi influences. Death is a privilege, and fighting is an ongoing necessity.

–          The curriculum’s focus is no longer on simply demonizing Israel but on laying out justification for war, which is a permanent and natural fixture, portrayed as a phenomenon that has accompanied humanity since the dawn of history.

Israeli Minister of Internal Security Gilad Erdan tweeted that UNRWA “says it needs $217,000,000 to run schools for Palestinian children, and the PA wants the United States to help foot the bill. However, the PA has stated that if forced to choose, it will pay salaries to terrorists rather than for the education of Palestinian children. The PA spent seven percent, or $358 million, of its total 2017 budget on payments to terrorists and their families. In 2016, it spent $322 million on terrorists’ stipends. Much of that aid — an average of $335 million annually over the last five years—came from the United States. However, since the Taylor Force Act became law this year, the Trump administration will defund the PA until they cease and denounce funding and support for terrorists and their families for acts against Israel and the United States.

“I applaud Congress for introducing the Palestinian Authority Educational Curriculum Transparency Act  to help stop the Palestinian Authority from grooming innocent children to become terrorists,” said Mat Staver, Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and President of Covenant Journey. “Children should be taught life skills so they can have long and productive lives, not become martyrs of death in order to harm Israel and America. I am grateful to President Trump who was willing to set the tone and do the right thing regarding terrorism and defund the Palestinian Authority. We must continue to stand up to its bullying and not allow our tax dollars to promote and fund terrorism,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international litigation, education, and policy organization. Liberty Counsel has a number of affiliated ministries, including Christians in Defense of Israel and Covenant Journey, a program that provides a life-changing experience in Israel for Christian college-age students who have leadership potential.





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